"Prior to boarding the ship, the first two cases had traveled to Argentina, Chile and Uruguay on a bird-watching trip which included visits to sites where the species of rat that's known to carry hantavirus was present. He added that the WHO is trying to track the movement of the couple."
"WHO chief Tedros said the 'WHO assesses the public health risk as low.' He went on to lay out the agency's priorities: Making sure patients receive care Keeping the passengers who are still on the ship safe."
"The WHO said it expects more cases to emerge given the long incubation period. But its doctors said the virus was very different to COVID and did not pose the same threat."
A hantavirus outbreak occurred on the cruise ship MV Hondius, resulting in fatalities and multiple confirmed cases among passengers and crew. The initial cases involved a couple who had traveled to Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay on a bird-watching trip before boarding, visiting locations where rats carrying hantavirus were present. Medical evacuations were conducted, with patients transported to Amsterdam for treatment. The ship was permitted to dock in Tenerife, Spain. WHO officials confirmed the virus differs significantly from COVID-19 and poses lower public health risk, though the long incubation period suggests additional cases may emerge. WHO priorities included ensuring patient care and maintaining safety for remaining passengers and crew.
#hantavirus-outbreak #cruise-ship-mv-hondius #who-assessment #medical-evacuation #public-health-response
Read at www.dw.com
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